They said it couldn't be done

[AriM]

thanks to all who helped me with my tumble lubing quest....this is the one version of the finished product....the lube is working extremely well....no leading...solved the smoking issue (EDIT: at least i thought I did).....with the lube and the process I have developed, I am able to do just over 2000 BOOLITS at a time....the process from start to finish (not including sizing) takes under 30 min. the dry time is included in that....what do you guys think of these results....do these boolits look sloppy?

the little glittery flecks on the boolits are part of the coating...anyone care to guess what they are?

EDIT: some issues have popped up. Nothing serious, but please read the whole thread if you are interested. I appreciate all the feedback and kind words from you guys........

[longbow]

Those look good to me!

How thick is the coating? Looks so thin it is like it is sprayed on. Very nice.

Graphite? Maybe a bit shiny for graphite but that is my guess.

Congratulations on success!

Longbow

[AriM]

Those look good to me!

How thick is the coating? Looks so thin it is like it is sprayed on. Very nice.

Graphite? Maybe a bit shiny for graphite but that is my guess.

Congratulations on success!

Longbow

getting this to happen was NOT EASY!!!....I am able to keep it extremely consistent though....gravity is on my side?

[dragonrider]

Well it looks better than Lee snot. Are the flecks copper????

[RayinNH]

Pixie dust!!!

[OutHuntn84]

Those look good enough for my guns to eat. My guess would be grafite. So when we gonna get the full story and recipe?

[Edubya]

Unless you have a gang mould that drops about 100 molds at a time, I'm willing to be the first doubter of 2,000 rounds in 30 minutes!
I ain't from Missouri, but show me. I'll not only appologize, but I'll praise you on every internet board that I'm allowed to post on and you'll have more advertisement than you can handle. You'll never need to purchase a magazine ad!
EW

[357maximum]

They look alot like my LLA + motor mica coated 38 soft swc's to me(BRP 358-158 Hornady swaged Clones) . I force dry everything with heat and although I cannot match your speed...it gets enough done with a few hours work to keep my revolvers in boolits for a long long time.

[c.robertson]

MICA, flecks are mica.

(Alox the bullets before sizing, and after. After sizing let the bullets air dry for a few days - then dust them with mica powder so they are not sticky. You can get the mica from wwww.midwayusa.com)

Is that not the drill??

[runfiverun]

edub,,, he lubes that many at a time.
ari.
smiling to myself.

[scrapcan]

I would like to know also so i could try some with swaged swc types from a corbin lswc die set.

[AriM]

edub,,, he lubes that many at a time.
ari.
smiling to myself.

I was gonna answer him, but it's more fun this way

[AriM]

MICA, flecks are mica.

(Alox the bullets before sizing, and after. After sizing let the bullets air dry for a few days - then dust them with mica powder so they are not sticky. You can get the mica from wwww.midwayusa.com)

Is that not the drill??

not even close....the entire process (not including sizing) takes about 30 minutes....including the dry/cure time....the only thing that would limit the size of the batch would be the size of the bowls....and the amount of convection within the bowls.....

the flecks aren't MICA.....hint : they are a cleaning agent....abrasive, yet softer than copper....

[AriM]

They look alot like my LLA + motor mica coated 38 soft swc's to me(BRP 358-158 Hornady swaged Clones) . I force dry everything with heat and although I cannot match your speed...it gets enough done with a few hours work to keep my revolvers in boolits for a long long time.

I have found that the force drying works MUCH better, if you have a semi-volatile (fast evaporating) carrier....denatured alcohol is what I use....you just have to be careful about the temp....and you need good laminar flow in the bowl.....if neither one of those is present, you have a bomb

the alcohol instantly hardens paraffin, once they reach a threshold temperature....the key is to add the alcohol at the right moment, so that enough of it evaporates, but enough stays behind to harden the paraffin.....it's fun to watch them go round and round....a few minutes after I turn off the heat, they instantly change color and harden....I stumbled on it by total accident

I had one of the early prototypes on my bench....and I had spilled a bit of isopropyl (was cleaning something)....and I accidently dropped a fresh lubed boolit into the puddle....the portion that touched the alcohol flash hardened....got me thinking....water doesn't seem to do the same thing....since I am not a chemist, I can't explain why this happens....


the lube formula is really not so important (as many of you have already told me)...as long as there is a "lube", a carrier and an organic/petrol. binder....the other ingredients are only there to aid in the coating process....

the only way this process is efficient is in volume....if you aren't trying to do a few thousand at a time....the process would probably be overkill and seem awkward....if I was only doing a few hundred at a time, I think a lube/sizer would be better....

I want to do some more testing and make absolutely sure that this method is free from long term problems (excessive barrel wear, and/or pressure).....once I make a final determination on consistency, I will gladly send out cheap sample packs (you cover material cost and shipping and I will eat the labor) to whoever wants to provide me with feedback...if everyone likes the product and determines that it is safe and has good long term characteristics....I will be more than happy to make a video and/or write up on how it's all done....I just want to make sure I am contributing something worthwhile first

[scrapcan]

AriM,

We can not ask for more than you have offered. I will wait to see what your results are.

[AriM]

AriM,

We can not ask for more than you have offered. I will wait to see what your results are.

just wanna keep everyone safe, and my name clean....

it would be reckless to try to help a climber down from a mountain with a frayed rope....I respect the safety of the members here....both their personal safety and the safety of their gear/guns


I would not be willing to sell/advise/trade/share ANYTHING that I don't test on myself in my own gear....

I am going to be experimenting with "bandless" (no lube grooves) designs very soon....as soon as I can get the same results on those I will be willing to share that as well....

the more opinions I can get on these the better.....I don't ever want to get complacent and think I know it all, or have some miracle process figured out....I would rather be checked and humbled by my peers

one interesting point that was brought up was the look of the boolits....I have an alternate process that leaves a shiny coating....they look kind of like black chrome/nickel.....but I figured shooters would prefer the matte finish...what do you guys think....shiny or dull?

[OutHuntn84]

I like the dull look. You dont see that, atleast I havent. Keep up the good work!

[357maximum]

If you make them red they will go faster.

If you can make them black chrome I would go that route, otherwise the market will simply think they are a dip and mica as has proven out already.

[AriM]

I like the dull look. You dont see that, atleast I havent. Keep up the good work!

that's what I was thinking, but at the same time....I think that the average consumer is impressed by shiny stuff....I also prefer the dull look...but it's not about me, I am more concerned about what your average shooter will like...the shiny look does not effect the performance or characteristic at all...it's just a final polishing step....maybe I could offer them in both, and call the shiny ones "super performance" or something

[AriM]

If you make them red they will go faster.

If you can make them black chrome I would go that route, otherwise the market will simply think they are a dip and mica as has proven out already.

how about a stencil with flames....that is sure to increase horsepower as much, if not more than a high performance muffler bearing


interesting thing about mica....I did some research on mineral hardness....mica is actually a rating of 8 MoHS.....graphite is a rating of 1 MoHS, which is no harder than talc....I would NOT shoot mica through my barrel....I can't verify that it would cause un-due wear, but certainly graphite would have better lubricity (simply because of it's soft nature)....

I would like a unique looking product, and as long as performance and safety are NOT sacrificed....hell, make em pink....I could corner the lady shooter market

maybe I will make some rainbow colored ones for the gay, liberal shooters (of course they would have to be .22 cal)....